To provide that a State that uses a system of limited voting, cumulative voting or
preference voting may establish multi-member congressional districts.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of
American in Congress assembled:

Section 1. Multi-Member Districts With Certain Qualifications Are Permitted for
Elections of Representatives within States

(a) In General - Notwithstanding Public Law 90- 196 (2 U.S.C. 2c), a State
entitled to more than one Representative in Congress may establish a number of districts
for election of Representatives that is less than the number of Representatives to which
the state is entitled as long as that State uses a system of limited voting, a system of
cumulative voting or a system of preference voting in its multi-member districts.

(b) Limited Voting Described - Limited voting is a system in which a voter may
not cast a number of votes that is more than one-half the number of Representatives to be
elected.

(c) Cumulative Voting Described - Cumulative voting is a system in which a voter
may cast a number of votes up to the number of Representatives to be elected, and the
voter may distribute those votes, including fractions of votes, in any combination,
including all votes for one candidate.

(d) Preference Voting Described - Preference voting is a system in which a voter
ranks the candidates and candidates win by reaching a required threshold of votes. After
totaling first-place votes, all candidates who have reached the threshold are declared
elected. Votes in excess of the threshold are transferred to the voters' next-choice
candidates: either some votes at full value or all votes at an appropriately reduced
value. When no candidate is above the threshold and all seats have yet to be filled, the
candidate with the fewest top-ranked votes is eliminated, and all of his or her votes are
transferred to the next-choice candidates at full value. Voters may rank candidates
equally. When candidates are so ranked, the value of the ballot is divided equally among
such candidates.

The threshold is calculated as: (1) votes divided by the number of Representatives to
be elected; (2) votes divided by the number of Representatives to be elected plus one,
plus one vote; (3) or any number between the number calculated under clause (1) and the
number calculated under clause (2).

(e) Equality Requirement - In a State that uses districts in a system of limited
voting, a system of cumulative voting or a system of preference voting, the number of
residents per Representative in a district shall be equal for all Representatives elected.

(f) Single-Member Districts Allowed - A State may use single-member districts
alone or in combination with multi-member districts.

In Detroit, there have been three mayors in the past two years and the current one has come under scrutiny. Perhaps a system like instant runoff voting will help bring political stability to motor city.